ExxonMobil Corp. subsidiary ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. (EMAPPL) has completed startup of its previously announced residual upgrading project at the operator’s integrated refining and petrochemical complex on Jurong Island, Singapore.
Operable as of Sept. 23, the newly commissioned project enables production of 20,000 b/d of additional light, heavy, and extra-heavy Group II base stocks, including up to 6,000 b/d of the company’s first output of its extra-heavy EHC 340 MAX, a new class of high-viscosity Group II lubricant base stock comparable to Group I bright stock but with higher oxidation stability and viscosity index, ExxonMobil said.
Launched in 2022, the project incorporates proprietary upgrading technology designed to convert bottom-of-the-barrel residual fuel oil and other lower-value heavy molecules into higher-value products that, in addition to lubricant base stocks, include cleaner-burning distillate fuels.
Startup of the project—which is fully integrated with ExxonMobil’s existing refining and petrochemical operations at the Jurong Island site—marks the first commercial deployment of combined technologies that, while not explicitly identified, specifically enable production of the EHC 340 MAX base stock intended for use in heavy-duty applications such as:
- Marine lubricants.
- Industrial, gear oils.
- Gas engine oils.
- Engine oils, greases.
Part of the company’s broader EHC Group II slate that also includes EHC 50 and EHC 120, introduction of EHC 340 MAX to the market expands the range of viscosity options available to formulators, providing a specific alternative to replace Group I base stocks in regions facing stricter environmental specifications or tightening supply due to refinery closures and shifting economics, according to ExxonMobil.
Project background, implications
Originally unveiled in June 2022, ExxonMobil said EMAPPL’s multibillion-dollar Singapore resid upgrade project came as a strategic response to rising demand for high-performance lubricants and cleaner transportation fuels in the Asia-Pacific region.
With lubricant demand in the Asia Pacific projected to grow amid ongoing industrial expansions, urbanization, and stricter emissions standards, ExxonMobil said the additional base stock capacity supports the company’s long-term positioning in the region, as well as contributes to improved competitiveness and profitability of EMAPPL’s Jurong Island operations.
The project also aimed to increase EMAPPL’s production of cleaner, ultralow-sulfur fuels, fuel-blending components, and high-quality marine fuels to help customers to meet the International Maritime Organization’s 0.5% sulfur emission control area requirements.
ExxonMobil did not reveal specific details regarding the completed project’s impact to fuel production capacities at the site.
First shipment completed
In tandem with announcement of the project’s completion, fellow ExxonMobil subsidiary ExxonMobil Basestocks confirmed completing the first shipment of Group II base stocks from EMAPPL’s new units on Sept. 23.
“Seeing the first shipment of our base stocks marks the culmination of a complex, multi-year effort—and we’re deeply grateful to the employees and business partners who worked together to make it happen,” said Basel Al-Aghbar, vice-president of ExxonMobil Basestocks & Waxes. “The expanded production of Group II EHC™ base stocks will enable us to meet the needs of our customers, especially in the growing Asia Pacific region.”
Alongside helping to meet increased demand from customers in the Asia Pacific, expanded production of Group II EHC base stocks from Jurong Island will allow “customers to simplify their [own] product development and operations while formulating products with consistent high-quality performance,” ExxonMobil Basestocks said.
The company—which is equipped to distribute the new production globally through its international network of supply hubs—provided no additional details related to the size or destination of the initial shipment.
